Advanced Software Products Group Announces Megazip

Operating
mainframes isn’t cheap, so getting the most out of them is important. Some
types of data, like plain text, compress very well. Occasionally files can be
compressed to just 5% of their original size, requiring fewer
expensive resources to store the same data. Other types of data don’t compress
as well, however, which requires a strong compression algorithm to realize the
space savings on z/OS disks.

MegaZip is a standalone compression and archiving software tool released by mainframe software company Advanced
Software Products Group, Inc. (ASPG).

MegaZip
implements a native zip solution for z/OS. It supports multiple compression
specifications that are used on all platforms, such as ZIP, ZIP64, and
GZIP. As it was engineered specifically for IBM’s mainframe z/OS system,
MegaZip executes compression and decompression quickly. It’s easy to
install and use, with an ISPF interface and sample JCL libraries.

Despite
being a solution specifically for z/OS, MegaZip files are
compatible with any software ecosystem that supports the same compression
standards. Files sent to a PC from your mainframe will be compatible
– in fact, MegaZip supports creating self-decrypting files for Windows
PCs. Likewise, MegaZip can decompress files it receives from outside sources,
and has built-in ASCII to EBCDIC conversion.

ASPG CEO
Cathryn Thompson, said: "This software brings a lot of value to enterprise users.
And being part of the MegaCryption line, data security is built in to MegaZip
as well – as it is into everything ASPG does."

The program supports the Blowfish-448 encryption standard, and ships with a
companion program to decrypt files on Windows machines to enhance compatibility
and ease the burden when transferring large files to clients.

MegaZip is a
standalone release and is developed by ASPG to keep up with
industry standards on compression. ASPG has support available for all of
their products via telephone 24 hours per day, every day of the year.